


Rescue

by Mirianne



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Aunt Beru is a spitfire, Darth Vader manages to prioritize, Gen, Kidnapping, references to Vader's ongoing poor health, tiny!luke, villains dying (in rather predictable ways)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 19:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13106538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirianne/pseuds/Mirianne
Summary: When three-year-old Luke Skywalker is kidnapped, Beru goes to the most unexpected person for assistance.  He provides it, much to the surprise of the old Jedi who'd been supposed to watch over the child.





	Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> KaelinaLovesLomaris gave me a prompt because I was complaining about the Epic again. She was also kind enough to beta. Thanks!

Though Vader didn’t recognize the woman who forced her way into the small estate his master had exiled him to, on the last planet he wanted to visit, there was something familiar about her.

“I need your help to find your son,” she said.

He had to admire both her gall and her determined presence.  There was no fear in her.  And three years after the Empire formed, he already had a fearsome reputation.  But that didn’t mean he was feeling cooperative.  Not when his master had sent him to  _Naboo_  for a month.

“Madam, what makes you believe I would know anything about your son?”

She glared at him.  “Not  _my_  son, Anakin.  Yours.  The son Owen and I have been raising since Obi-Wan Kenobi brought him to us three years ago with the claim both you and your wife were dead.  And  _your son_  is taken.”

Slowly, Vader sank down on the chair.  “My son died with my wife,” he said carefully.  But he recognized her now.  “Beru?  Beru Whitesun?”

“I don’t know who told you that, but they lied.  His name is Luke.  Luke Skywalker.  And right now, he needs you.”

“If you are lying to me—!”

“I’m not!  I love that boy like he’s my own.  Owen and I can’t have children, but that boy is the sweetest child.”

“Then sit down and tell me what you know, what happened, and what brings you to me when my former master had the gall to tell you I was dead after taking my child.”

“I don’t know much.”  She sighed and sat down.  “We had my old aunt staying with him while we helped neighbors after a disaster on their homestead.  When we got back in the evening, my aunt was dead, and Luke was gone.  We contacted Ben, Obi-Wan, and asked him for help.  He helped us find the ones hired to take Luke, but they’d already given him to someone else.  That person took him off planet but said something about how this would give her master a hold on you.  That’s the first time Ben admitted you weren’t dead, so he had to tell us something of what happened to you.

“We tried to get more information, but we ran out of leads.  We don’t know where to look and don’t have the money to search the entire Empire.  Ben said he knew someone he could contact, but.  I don’t trust that.  Whoever it is isn’t family.   _You_ are.  I told Owen to tell Ben I was meeting some members of my extended family who might have useful contacts and bought passage to Naboo to tell you everything.  Now, will you help us?”

For a moment, Vader felt caught between his master’s orders and what he wanted.  But his master had lied.  Had lied and then had the gall to banish him to Naboo.  “Yes.  I will help you.  Rest and eat something.  I will be ready to go in an hour.”

He swept through the small estate, setting things in motion for his absence and what he expected to happen during and because of it.  Then he stalked into the hangar and prepared his ship, the gorgeous Nubian that had been another taunt from Palpatine that he was now grudgingly grateful for, as the ship was  _fast_  and also maneuverable.  Naboo built good ships, and he’d had days with nothing to do in which to modify this one.  At fifty-five minutes, he swept back into the room where he’d left Beru.

“I am prepared.”

Immediately, she set down the remains of a meal.  “Then let’s go.  And Anakin?  Thanks.”

He hesitated for a second, nodded stiffly.  “He is my son.”  He led her to the ship.  “You’ll want to strap in.”  He was only mildly surprised when she followed him to the cockpit.  Once she was strapped in, he took off and headed out of the atmosphere with a fine disregard for planetary traffic regulations.  Once they were in hyperspace, he left the cockpit, remembering at the last second to tell Beru she could make herself comfortable and get some sleep.  Then he went to the hyperbaric chamber and settled in to meditate.  He needed to shield his Force presence, and given his strength, that wasn’t the easiest thing to accomplish.  One reason he usually couldn’t be bothered.

The trip to Tatooine was short, and Vader remembered where to find the homestead.  Beru had rejoined him in the cockpit when they left hyperspace, so she directed him to the best place to land.  By the time he’d shut down the ship, Owen had come out of the homestead to meet them.  To Vader’s dismay, if not surprise, Obi-Wan followed.

“I suggest you stay back a bit,” he told Beru.

“Will you kill him?”

He didn’t answer, striding down the ship’s ramp.  He wasn’t surprised when Obi-Wan immediately moved in front of Owen, lightsaber igniting in his hand.  Vader held his own hands carefully away from his ‘saber.  “I didn’t come here to fight.  Our grievances can wait.  The boy is more important.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe—!”

“Where’s Beru?” Owen interrupted.

“I’m here,” Beru said.  She hurried down the ramp.  “I’m fine.  I’m not hurt.”

Obi-Wan turned and stared at her.  “ _You_  went to  _him_?”

She lifted her chin.  “Luke is his son.  We were out of options.  Anakin said he’d help.”

“He’ll take Luke.  Turn him.  It’s what Sith do.”

Vader jerked back.  The thought hadn’t even occurred to him.

“I don’t believe that.”  Beru’s hands fisted on her hips.  “Shmi’s son would never bind another into slavery.  He’s family, and I’ll put my trust in that and in what Shmi told us about her boy.”

The words settled over Vader, sank into him, but he couldn’t focus on that.  Not while facing a Jedi with a lightsaber who wanted him dead.  A part of him wanted to bristle when Beru all but called him a slave, but—he knew what he was.

“Besides, we need him to find Luke.  Nothing else is important.  Someone took that boy.  He’s three years old, and someone took him.  Apparently, to use against Anakin.  That means he’s probably still alive, but it hardly guarantees he’s well!  I want to find him.  I thought you wanted the same!”

Slowly, slowly, Obi-Wan lowered his lightsaber.  “Fine.  Truce.  But if I see you try to take him, I will kill you, Darth.”

“I didn’t expect anything different.”  If there was bitterness in his voice, Vader wouldn’t admit it.

“Good.  Then if this standoff is finished, we can go inside and figure out what to do next.”  Beru didn’t wait for anyone else, led the way into the homestead with her head high.  Obi-Wan paused by the stairs when Vader and Owen didn’t immediately follow.

“Are you certain?” Vader asked softly.

Owen didn’t answer immediately, considering him.  “You’re Mom’s son.  My brother.  You’re welcome here, Anakin.”

Like Beru’s words, Owen’s welcome settled inside him.  This time, he could feel them inside him, breaking some of the rage and misery that were most of what he’d felt in the last three years.  He didn’t know how to handle that, but he had a son to find.  What he felt was far less important than Padmé’s child.

He had to duck to enter the homestead, to be careful his cape didn’t catch on anything.  The kitchen was unchanged from his last visit, but he felt even less like he belonged there.  A Sith Lord in black armor, the Emperor’s enforcer, bringing blood and death everywhere he went.  He hardly belonged in this homey kitchen, even when both Beru and Owen welcomed him.  Still, he sat at the table when Beru asked him to, faced the awkward moment of refusing food or tea.  It was an insult to refuse on Tatooine, and since he didn’t want to give offense, he had to explain briefly that he couldn’t take off his mask.

That would have been awkward regardless, but he was all too aware of Obi-Wan’s presence at the same table.  The truce might not have held him then, but even when he didn’t know what the boy looked like, the thought of his son kept him from losing his hold on his temper.

He remembered a moment, not so very long ago really, when he’d wanted so badly to go to his old master, to throw himself on the old man’s mercy, and he hadn’t cared much if it was death or forgiveness he got as a result.  He hadn’t gone then, and he wasn’t here for that now.  The thought lingered in his mind regardless.

“How could anyone know I had a living son, when even I didn’t?” Vader asked abruptly.  He wanted to do something useful, not focus on the past, on what he couldn’t change.  “Has he been in the hospital recently?  Sometime they could have drawn blood, linked him to me that way?”

“No.  No, nothing like that,” Owen said.  “We’ve kept him home.”

“He isn’t even old enough to have started school yet,” Beru added.  “His name, your name, wouldn’t even be in any local databases.”

“It has to be someone investigating your background, Darth,” Obi-Wan added.  “I’ve kept that boy safe.  Someone wants a hold on you and knew enough about where you come from to look on Tatooine.  They probably didn’t expect to find Luke, but when they did. . .”

Vader felt his temper flare, saw Obi-Wan tense, and forced himself to let the anger go.  He closed his eyes, held completely still for three cycles of his respirator.  He could no longer use the breathing patterns Obi-Wan had taught him, but he was learning to adapt to the patterns the respirator forced on him, to use the cycles as the same type of aid.  The sound, which still often drove him half-mad with its inescapable monotony, could also be used as a focus for meditation.

He’d learned.  He’d had to.

When he’d settled his emotions, was as close to calm as he could manage, he turned his thoughts to the problem they faced.  “Not many know enough about me to come to Tatooine looking for a hold on me. . .” he said slowly.

“Palpatine,” Obi-Wan started.

He shook his head, eyes still closed.  “No.  My master told me  _she_  died before the child was born.  If he tried to use Luke against me, I would know he lied.  And he doesn’t need another hold on me.”  And the Force, too, told him it was wrong.  “Other than Palpatine, there’s anyone you told, but I assume you’ve ruled that out.”

“I have.”

That was all Obi-Wan said, but Vader didn’t push.  Unless he thought it had something to do with this, he’d let Obi-Wan protect his allies.  “There are a few—only a few.”  His mind ran over the possibilities, stalled on one, and he opened his eyes.  “Tarkin has—hinted before.  He is an advocate of using fear to rule.  And while he grudgingly respects me, he resents that the Force will always make me closer to the Emperor and more powerful.

“Recently, my master placed me under his command for a campaign that seemed to need both our abilities.  Tarkin—relished the power he held, but he also resented me, because if I had not been present, we wouldn’t have succeeded.  He might well want a permanent hold on me.

“Tarkin,” Obi-Wan said slowly.  “Yes, I can see that of Tarkin.”

“Good,” Beru said.  “That gives us a place to start.  When do we leave, and where are we going?”

“I strongly recommend you either remain here or go to Naboo with the tools and contacts to arrange a safe place for us to take Luke when we’ve recovered him,” Vader warned.

Beru glared at him, hands flat on the table.  “I am  _not_  staying behind, Anakin!  Owen can go to Naboo to arrange the safe place you want, if it’s so necessary, but I’m coming with you!  Someone needs to be a buffer between you two.  Besides,” and her voice gentled, “Luke doesn’t know you, Ani.  He hardly knows Ben and has never even seen you.  Someone needs to be there he’ll recognize to make sure he knows he’s safe.”

“Beru?” Owen asked.

“No, Owen, Anakin is right that we need somewhere safe to go when we’ve rescued Luke.”

“Naboo is a good choice,” Vader put in.  “My master knows I hate going there.  It is also a planet with solid healthcare, should Luke need it, and places where it would be easy to disappear.  If you are willing, Owen, I can provide you with what you would need.  If you insist on coming, Beru, I will not argue further, but consider that it  _will_  be dangerous.”

“I realize that.  I can handle a blaster.  I’m coming, Anakin.”

“Very well.”  He bowed his head to her for a moment, unwillingly impressed.

 

* * *

They left that same night.  Vader had provided Owen with funds, information on Naboo, and two contacts, one who might be useful on Naboo and the other one of his most loyal agents that would be useful once she arrived on the planet.  Owen would go into town and hire passage to Naboo while Vader, Obi-Wan, and Beru went after Luke.

On the Nubian, Vader took the pilot’s seat and was unsurprised when Obi-Wan took the copilot’s without discussion.  Though three years had passed since last they flew together, he thought they’d still manage well enough.  Once Beru was strapped in behind them, he lifted off and headed for the atmosphere at speed.

“I suppose it’s too much to hope the years would have made you a more sensible pilot,” Obi-Wan muttered, then froze.

Vader, too, froze, though he got his reaction under control first and smoothly took the ship to the right heading.  He chose not to answer and focused on entering the hyperspace course.  By the time he finished and had the ship in hyperspace, Obi-Wan had fully recovered.

“I assume you have a destination in mind and aren’t just relying on chance or the Force?”

Though he had to bite back his first response, Vader admitted the question had merit.  “Tarkin has a large, private estate on Spira,” he said.  “Many of the Imperial elite have estates there, but he has an entire island.  He is from Eriadu and has family land there, but it is occupied with other members of his family.  And he would not risk bringing my child to Coruscant.  The likelihood I would have any business on Spira unless ordered there by my master is. . .remote.”

“And where is Palpatine?”

“On Coruscant and due to stay there for the next three weeks at least.  He tends to be a more visible presence at the seat of his power when I will not be so visible.  As he sent me to Naboo, he will be on Coruscant.”

“Does he know?  Would this Tarkin have told him?” Beru asked.

“It’s a good question, Darth.  You would know best.”

Vader wanted to sigh.  “I do not think my master would have let a child of mine survive unmonitored in the Outer Rim, so it’s doubtful he knows.  Contrary to what he wants the world to believe, he isn’t all-knowing.”

“So you did realize that.  Eventually.”

Scowling, Vader turned to Obi-Wan.  “It is a sad day when a Sith has better manners than a Jedi master.”  He turned back to Beru.  “As for Tarkin, he’s unlikely to tell anyone.  He wants a hold on me.  My master would not appreciate that.”  He was Palpatine’s weapon, and the Emperor would not like the idea of anyone trying to change that.

“Well, that’s something.”  Beru sighed and relaxed a little.  “Thank you, Anakin.  How long will the trip be?”

“It will take us two days, and I will have to change our course twice.  In the meantime, you are both welcome to make yourselves comfortable.  I am going to meditate and ensure my Force presence remains shielded.  You might wish to do the same, Obi-Wan.”

“I have stayed hidden for three years.”

“Indeed.  Your shielding slipped when you saw me, but don’t let me tell you how to manage.”  He rose and swept to the part of the ship equipped for him, where he stepped into the hyperbaric chamber.  The necessity of it bothered him more than usual, with the Jedi who made it necessary claiming an ordinary cabin on the same ship while he was unable to get the revenge he still wanted.

The next morning, he sensed Obi-Wan outside the chamber and considered hastening the progress of the mechanisms that replaced his helmet and mask, but he decided to let events run their course.  There was an icy rush of shock in the Force when the chamber opened, but Vader ignored it.  “What do you want?” he asked when his mask and helmet were locked in place.

“Beru asked if Tarkin would have told Palpatine.  She didn’t ask if you had, and you’ve had time.”

“I have not.”  He rose and turned to face his former master.  “This is family business, not his.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened, and he raised an eyebrow.  “Do you  _intend_  to tell him?”

“Not at the moment.  I need to adjust our course.”  He swept from the cabin holding his hyperbaric chamber and made his way to the cockpit.  He didn’t want to talk about the subject further, didn’t want to think about it.  At the moment, all he wanted to think about was rescuing Luke.  Everything else could wait.   _Would_  wait.

Once he’d adjusted their course and set them back into hyperspace, he went to find Beru.  She was in the lounge, and he paused in the door, cautious and more hesitant than he’d been since his first days as Vader.  When she looked up and smiled at him, he had no idea how to react.

“Good morning, Anakin.  Would you like to come sit with me?”

Almost, he smiled.  He walked into the lounge and sat carefully in a chair a short distance from Beru.  “We are on schedule to arrive in thirty hours.  That will be early morning, local time, at Tarkin’s estate.”

“Will you know if Luke’s there?  Or will you have to look?”

“It’s unlikely Tarkin has Force suppressors, either for a person or an area, so we should know.  Obi-Wan is familiar with him, so he may know better than I would.”  Which stung.  But he wouldn’t lie to Beru.  He hesitated again, gathered himself.  “Would you—tell me about him?”  He was briefly grateful for how poorly his vocoder conveyed tone.

Beru smiled at him, leaned forward, and clasped his hand.  “Of course,” she said gently.

So that was how they spent the day when Vader didn’t need to pilot the ship and Beru wasn’t cooking or eating.  Obi-Wan hovered nearby off and on but didn’t intrude.

Despite the pain of hearing what he’d missed, Vader soaked up everything Beru told him, all the little childhood anecdotes, the problems and the joys.  He recognized some things from what his mother had said of his own childhood, and others sounded so much like he imagined Padmé would have been as a child.  Every single detail, he did his best to commit to memory.

And since he would have to go back to Naboo, he might manage to gather the resolve needed to visit her grave and tell her about their boy.

That night, when he retreated to his hyperbaric chamber, he had far more to think about before he sank into meditation, and he had far less rage and grief driving his meditation.  His sleep was more peaceful than any he’d managed in a long time, though filled with images of a tiny boy who glowed with the Force.

In the morning, he rose early to deal with the second course change.  Now that they were closer to the core, he had to attend to it with more attention, and it was nearly an hour before he could take the ship back into hyperspace on the final heading to Spira.  Fortunately, he knew about flying through Core space and had allowed time for it.  In fact, they were a bit ahead of schedule; he hadn’t been counting on just  _how_  maneuverable the Nubian was.  Obi-Wan had joined him in the cockpit without a word, watching everything he did.

“I really am taking the ship to Spira,” he said when they were back in hyperspace.

“I see that.”

He suppressed the need to sigh.  It wasn’t a surprise that Obi-Wan didn’t trust him.  That didn’t keep it from hurting.  “I need to stay here now that we’re in the Core.  Do you intend to supervise?”

“Yes.”

“Then perhaps you could bring Beru here.  We  _do_  need at least a semblance of a plan.”

For a moment, Obi-Wan merely studied him, and Vader could almost hear what his former master was thinking.  Even the red taint to everything he saw couldn’t prevent him from reading those so familiar eyes.  He almost wished Obi-Wan would say it, give him an excuse to snap back, his temper the still heaviness before a sandstorm.

But Obi-Wan kept his first response to himself.  “Perhaps  _you_ could fetch Beru while I handle the ship.”  When Vader didn’t move but projected heavy skepticism, he rolled his eyes.  “I  _do_  know how to handle a ship, as you perfectly well know.  I won’t crash it.”

Unspoken, but not unheard, was Obi-Wan’s ongoing opinion that Vader was the more likely to crash a ship.  Vader rolled his eyes but rose.  “She’s modified, but you have seen most of the modifications before—or similar.  Don’t damage her.”

Beru was in the galley, but she followed him back to the cockpit readily enough when he asked.  They spent some time discussing what Vader knew of Tarkin’s estate and household before forming a tentative plan for their arrival.

Despite both Vader’s and Obi-Wan’s suggestions, Beru refused to stay with the ship.  She would hang back, stay out of the worst of the fighting, but she would be coming with them.  Neither of them could talk her out of it.

“I will handle offense, if you will take defense and protect her,” Vader said at last.  It was fitting, both in terms of what they’d always done while working together and in what Jedi and Sith were known for.

Obi-Wan studied him carefully.  “Agreed,” he said at last.

Vader relaxed.  Beru would be as safe as possible with Obi-Wan protecting her.

When they reached Spira and dropped out of hyperspace, Vader immediately sensed a Force presence.  It was light, not one associated with the Empire.  He looked at Obi-Wan immediately.  “Is that him?”

Obi-Wan frowned, eyes closed.  “I don’t have your strength in the Force.  Give me a minute.”

That was enough warning for Vader not to tense as he sensed his former master reach into the Force and spread his senses to the planet ahead of and beneath the ship.

“Yes, that’s him.”

Beru sank back into her seat with a whispered prayer.  Then she leaned forward, focus intent on Spira.  “How is he?  Can you tell?”

“Alive.  I think unharmed, but I could not speak to well,” Vader said after a moment.  “But I don’t know him.  It’s harder to sense details like that without some degree of familiarity, at least.”

“And I don’t have the strength for it,” Obi-Wan admitted after another minute.  He opened his eyes.  “I’m sorry, Beru.”

“He’s alive.  He’s here.  For now, that’s enough.  We’ll make  _sure_  it is.”

“Thank you,” Vader said.  He set his hands on the controls and sent the ship racing forward.  He used codes for an Imperial courier rather than anything that would be tied to him with planetary security; Tarkin would almost certainly be monitoring that, even when Vader had no logical way of knowing what was going on.

“One of you will have to communicate with estate security.  Claim status as an Imperial courier.”

“And that that will have Tarkin panicking about whether or not Palpatine found out has nothing to do with why you picked it as cover?”

“Obviously.  Tarkin does not panic.”

“Of course.”  Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.  “I’ll do it.”

The ruse got them landing privileges without delay, and Vader wrapped the group in a heavy shroud of Force power to ensure anyone looking at them would see only what they expected.

An aide met them on the landing platform and didn’t look twice at them.  “Governor Tarkin is expecting you, sir.  If you’ll follow me?”

When the aide left them at the door to Tarkin’s office, Vader could sense that they were far closer to the Force presence Obi-Wan claimed was Luke.  It was reassuring, but that presence didn’t seem—completely well.  That sense loosened Vader’s already tenuous grip on his temper further.  He glanced from Obi-Wan to Beru, and when they confirmed their readiness, he knocked on the door.

It slid open silently.  “You may enter,” Tarkin called.

Vader didn’t immediately accept the invitation.  Instead, he let the shroud around them fade.  Slowly.  The sound of his respirator would steadily become more noticeable.  Just as the last of the shroud faded, he lit his lightsaber and moved to stand just inside the room.

Tarkin had stiffened, but he didn’t flinch.  “Lord Vader.  What can I do—?”  The sound of a second lightsaber igniting cut him off, and he looked past Vader for the first time.  “Guards!”

Behind his mask, Vader smirked.  It was a distinct pleasure to see Tarkin finally rattled.

Slowly, Tarkin rose to his feet.  “Master Kenobi.  I didn’t expect I’d ever have the distinct displeasure of seeing you again.  I’m more astonished at the company you’re keeping.  Do you really expect him not to stab you in the back?  Working with you is treason.”

“If Darth chooses to kill me after this, he’s unlikely to do it that way,” Obi-Wan said calmly.

“So much faith in your former student, even after what he’s done.”

“Are you finished stalling?” Vader asked coldly.  He didn’t wait for whatever Tarkin might have to say in return, stalking forward while raising his lightsaber.

Tarkin raised a blaster over the desk and shot rapid, accurate blasts for the panel in Vader’s chest that kept him alive.  He blocked every shot, lightsaber moving with a calm, easy grace.  Then he lifted his free hand and squeezed, cutting off Tarkin’s air.  Tarkin didn’t panic, didn’t try to pull the invisible grip from his throat.  Instead, he redoubled his efforts to hit Vader, obviously knowing his best chance was to distract Vader.

But Vader wasn’t so easily distracted.  Slowly, Tarkin’s aim started to falter, his blaster to drop.  Vader stalked forward and finished it by cutting off Tarkin’s head.

At that moment, the guards ran into the room, and Obi-Wan turned to attack them.  Vader stalked forward and joined him.  Beru stayed back, out of the immediate fight, but she had her blaster raised and shot past them several times before the last guard fell dead.

When Vader released his lightsaber, Obi-Wan did the same and looked at him with raised eyebrows over Tarkin’s body.  “Your master will not be pleased.”

“You think me unaware of that?” Vader demanded.  “I have served him for three years.  I already disobeyed him when I left Naboo.  This was and is more important.”

They both paused and glanced back, out at the landing pad.

“Is something wrong?” Beru asked, tone sharp.

“There’s another ship landing,” Obi-Wan said.

“It is not a problem,” Vader said.  “It is Kix.  I contacted him and ordered him here in case Luke needs a medic.”

“You  _what_?” Obi-Wan demanded.  His hand dropped back to his lightsaber.

“You need not worry.  He no longer has the chip that made them susceptible to Palpatine’s orders.  I ensured that for as many of the remaining clones as I could, limited only by how many could have plausible reasons for being in medical.  Kix is loyal to me, however little he approves of my actions.  He is the best medic I could arrange and be certain it would remain private.  He is no threat to you, Obi-Wan.”

“I want an explanation of those chips,” Obi-Wan said.

“Later!” Beru said.  “For now, we should find Luke!”

Vader nodded.  He led the way through the estate, up the stairs and to a small suite secured from the outside.  He scowled at the frame but didn’t simply cut through it.  He wouldn’t risk the child he could sense on the other side.  Instead, he removed the panel from the door control and studied the system.  It wasn’t trapped, so he merely had to rewire it to open.  When it did, he took one step into the room and stared at what he found.

A tiny, pale-haired boy on a small bed.  Though the image was tainted with red, Vader was sure the boy was blond.  He was also flushed, beads of sweat on his face.  Vader wanted to curse Tarkin, to kill the man all over again.  Then he froze, as that face turned toward him, as those pale eyes opened and focused on him.  The boy froze, too, and Vader almost stepped back, almost let Beru step in ahead of him to reassure Luke with a familiar presence.  But suddenly, the child smiled managed to get out of the bed.  He wavered but managed to steady himself.

“Faftha!”  

The Force presence Vader had been sensing rose in intensity, exploded against his own, and left a bond between them.  At the same moment, Luke hurried forward, even as he was weaving back and forth a bit, and he stumbled just before he reached Vader.  Rather than fall, he threw himself forward, arms out to embrace Vader’s legs.

Vader managed to unfreeze himself and dropped to his knees to intercept his son before he could hurt himself.  He lifted Luke in his arms.  “I’m here,” he said as quietly as he could.  “I am here, my son.”  He dropped his head to stare at Luke, to take in every detail, and cradled Luke against him, though it was awkward to keep Luke from pressing against the panel on his chest.  The concern for Luke’s discomfort was far more important than any worry that he might inadvertently interfere with the mechanisms keeping him alive.  He used the Force to draw his cape forward and wrapped it around Luke and smiled as Luke relaxed into his hold.

 

* * *

Obi-Wan watched as Vader lifted the boy with a gentleness he hadn’t expected.  He’d been terrified when the boy raced forward that way, but Vader had caught him.  Obi-Wan hadn’t been at all sure what to do once they’d found Luke, what to do now that the  _Sith_  who’d destroyed Anakin knew about the child.  He’d been steeling himself to kill Vader as he hadn’t been able to before, hoping that if his charge was at stake, he’d be able to do what he’d failed at on Mustafar.

Now, Obi-Wan wondered.  He’d sensed the lessening rage and hate in Vader on the flight to Spira, especially as Beru told him about Luke, but he hadn’t believed it.

Even hearing from Vader himself that he didn’t care what Palpatine, Vader’s  _master_ , thought of all this hadn’t convinced Obi-Wan of anything.

But Vader had gathered his son in his arms so gently.  Had ordered a clone medic they both knew here to care for Luke.  A clone that, if Vader was to be believed, was no longer a threat to Jedi.  Was even disapproving of Vader’s choices.

Obi-Wan could believe that of Kix easily.  Could also believe Kix would stay regardless, loyal to his general still.  Especially given the apparent state of Vader’s health.

Now, Vader had wrapped his cape around Luke, and Luke was so relaxed in his arms.  And as Obi-Wan watched black-gloved fingers brushed so lightly over Luke’s cheek, Obi-Wan felt everything he’d thought he knew since watching the security recording in the Temple come into question.

Whatever would come of this, he knew it would not be what any of them had expected, not Obi-Wan himself, not Vader, not Palpatine, not even Yoda. . .


End file.
